As a huge fan of Jay Kristoff and Empire of the Vampire, I have been eagerly waiting for this sequel- and this sampler does not disappoint. Empire of the Damned picks up right where book one left off, but immediately we see that this continuation will be more expansive. We begin to learn more about the vampire houses, their leaders, and the consequences of their mass consumption of humans.
This series is so masterfully written and intricately woven. I greatly appreciate that the characters are flawed and growing, and so they still feel rooted in reality while in a fantastical world. I cannot wait for the full release next month!

Seeing as I was a huge fan of “Empire of the Vampire”, I was super excited to get approved for this. Even through it may be a sampler, it still delivered!! I can’t wait for the full thing when it is released! Also, can I say that switch in POV left me speechless!!!

Will update review once book is released!!! Don't want to spoil any specifics! With that being said, the sequel did Not Disappoint! While I am beyond thankful to be chosen as an ARC reader for this book, I'm actually sad/mad at myself! Now I have to wait even longer to read the third!!!! *Insert cry face* No but honestly wow! This book was everything I hoped it would be. I actually enjoyed the "Storyteller POV" and flashing back from past to present. Some people don't care for that so be warned, but I enjoyed it! It wasn't hard to follow, and it was easy to keep track of everything happening. The story picks up where EOTV leaves off and we don't miss a thing! If you loved the first book, you have to read this one!!!!! Its witty, it's funny, it's got me rooting for the underdog, and wishing bad things would happen to Gabriels enemies! Some scenes were touching and had me all up in my feels. My emotions were a roller coaster reading this and I never wanted to get off the ride! While we knew the direction the story was going, there were several surprises I didn't see coming! I love when a book isn't predictable! Buckle up and get ready for the ride!!! Only thing I didn't like about this book was that it ended. I was so immersed in the story I literally said, "WTH, its over!?" out loud once I got to the end! I mean if you love a good vampire series and a story of redemption, love, and the will to survive and do what it takes, you really need to read this. I really want to thank St. Martin's Press for granting me the privilege of reading this book early. You absolutely made my day when I received the email. Jay Kristoff deserves every single ounce of the praise he rightfully gets. I am absolutely stoked for the next in this series and recommend it to every single person that will listen to me go on and on about it!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC!

In terms of pacing and mood, I felt like I was in the same book and it just kept going, so that’s always the fear of a sequel—will it live up to the expectations of its predecessor? In terms of plot, this one was shorter, so many characters had died in book one so there was less characters to fill the pages I guess? There was still adventure, battles, vampires, and blood and gore. Same problem from the first book carries over with Gabriel and Dior trying to find a way to stop the end of the human race essentially. I love the same banter between these two characters and the relationship they have.

YES there will be a third book. The end of book two literally just ends—quite suddenly actually. So there must be another book at the least. Hopefully several!

Favorite quotes:

To open a book is to open a door—to another place, another time, another mind. And usually, mademoiselle, it’s a mind far sharper than your own.’

‘The road is black ahead,’ I told her. ‘And it’s hard to keep walking when you can’t see the ground beneath your feet. But that’s what courage is. The will to keep walking in the darkness. To believe the end is just beyond your outstretched hand, rather than a million miles away.

‘Measure yourself not by where others are, but where you used to be.’

You don’t like books?’ “She shrugged, shoveling in another mouthful. ‘Never saw much use for them.’ “‘Not much…’ I sputtered, outraged on behalf of every scribe, librarian, and bookshop owner in the imperium. ‘They’ve a thousand fucking uses, girl!’ “‘Name one. Aside from reading,’ she added as I opened my mouth to quip. “‘Aright.’ I started counting off on my fingers. ‘You can … light them on fire. Throw them at people. Light them on fire, then throw them at people, particularly if those people are the sort of bucktoothed shitwits who don’t like books.’

“‘I swear, sometimes you are enough to give my arsehole a headache,’

I knew this story was going to be epic, but after reading the sampler I'm blown away. I can't wait to read the rest of the story.

This teaser was incredible and I cannot wait to finally read the book in its entirety. Even the graphics throughout this teaser were AMAZING.

4.5 stars
I am so excited to read this after the sampler cause I NEED MOREEEEE!!!!!
Definitely a must read and please read EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIREEEE

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to receive a first look at part of this book and it left me wanting so much more! It was everything I was hoping for and you best believe I’m purchasing it the day it releases to finish it! I would definitely recommend this series if you like fantasy and dystopian!

I was approved for this sample of Empire of the Damned and it only reinforced my decision to preorder the book. I loved Empire of the Vampire and no book that I read afterwards compared to it. I have been anxiously waiting for the sequel. This sampler took me right back to the story, right to where I left off. It whet my appetite and is making me ever more eager to finish the book. I can't wait until March for the rest of the story.

Wow!!!!!! Even though this was a sample it was amazing! I couldn’t put it down and now I will be impatiently waiting for the release of this book to finish it!

I didn’t get approved for the full version but was given a snippet. And it is not enough! Excited for the full release and will be giving my full review on Goodreads

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for a sample, a large one, of the latest book in this fantasy/ horror series.

Empire of the Vampire, by Jay Kristoff, was a book that impressed me quite a bit in that that book was large enough to be used to drive stakes into numerous vampires hearts, or to be used as a stool for smaller vampire hunters to reach of the side of large caskets. However even with the length, I never felt lost, or bored, or wondered if the writer was being paid by the word. The world was very unique, the storytelling different, with flashbacks, flash-forwards, and interesting twists to tell a very compelling story.

The sample I read, of the second book Empire of the Damned, is similar in some ways, but Kristoff has adapted to the fact that Kristoff can't surprise the reader the way he did in the first book. So Kristoff has added more techniques to his game, and has found new ways of ratcheting up the tension. Also Kristoff's way of telling the story has changed slightly. Kristoff knows that most readers are in for the long haul, but Kristoff still works at making those more fickle readers flip pages, drawing the reader deep into the story, before unfolding a few big surprises, surprises that I am sure are going to have big effects on the latter half of the Empire of the Damned. Which I am looking forward to reading.

Jay Kristoff looks like he has another winner on his hands, and trees have another reason to be afraid as there is going to be a lot of paper needed for these books.

Holy sh—
This was phenomenal, too bad it's only an excerpt but can't wait for the rest!!
I can't believe we get Liathe's pov, can't wait to read more of it!

Enjoyed this sampler - although I did initially think it was the entire story, my mistake! I enjoyed this and am looking forward to the rest of the story!

This sneak peek at the sequel to Empire of the Vampire has succeeded in making me anticipate the full novel’s publication even more than I already did. The story picks up just where Empire of the Vampire left off, with a nice little recap as it has been awhile since we visited the vivid world run by the Dead. The bond between Gabe and Dior is very sweet and a little sad. The illustrations are gorgeous. I am excited to hold the full book in my hands!

I've not read Empire of the Vampire yet (My mistake, I know), it's been on my list but I just hadn't gotten to it.
After reading the sample of Empire of the Damned I'm ordering copies of both and beginning EotV as soon I receive it.

In most cases it might be difficult to give an thorough impression based on a sample but Jay Kristoff immediately grabbed my attention. I felt the fear, the uncertainty. I found the dialog to be real, credible. All in all this was a great way to begin my reading year and I look forward to reading more (all) in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Sample of Empire of the Damned.

This was such a great intro to book two of Kristoff’s latest series. His writing style makes me feel like I’m in the story, I can’t wait to see what happens next!

This was a great sampler, though devastating to learn it's a sampler (lol).

400 pages went really smoothly and much faster than I anticipated. I loved book 1, but it was a huge learning curve to understand the world and history. Book 2 so far feels a lot smoother simply because we already know the world and it's just now building upon the story.

I LOVE the way this is being told, it's a story about a story and that's so cool and far less confusing than it was in book one when I had no idea what was happening.

The sampler leaves off right as Celene is about to tell her story and that was mean, but I'm so excited to get more about her side. I really enjoyed having more of her in this book.

I do beg of Jay to please please let the horses alone, like c'mon give them a break man. PLEASE.

Thank you for letting me read this sampler, can't wait for March!

oh my goodness! This was so amazing and I can not wait until the book is out! Such a good start!! Jay Kristoff continues to amaze me with his writing style.

Empire of the Damned is a phenomenal book packed with suspense and action.

Gabriel has saved Dior from death at the hands of Sister Chloe and the Silversaints of San Michon but where do they go from there? A perilous path falls before them at the behest of the vampire Liathe but it is an uneasy and untrusting truce.

This book will grip you from the first chapter and never let up. There are so many twists and turns that you both expect and don’t. The last 100 pages are brutal, in true Kristoff fashion. If you enjoyed Empire of the Vampire, you are going to love Empire of the Damned!